Givati situation must teach IDF it has no time for diversions by religion, egalitarianism - comment
As the IDF incorporates more religious soldiers and more women, it will need to demonstrate common sense, sensitivity, and flexibility.
The Givati situation sheds light on the need for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to recognize that there is no room for diversion by religion or egalitarianism. Religious soldiers stationed in Gaza have refused an order to board a Namer armored personnel carrier with a female paramedic due to halachic (Jewish law) concerns about men and women being together in enclosed spaces. These soldiers are willing to risk their lives to remain faithful to their religious principles, but they cannot compromise them.
At first glance, the soldiers from the Givati Brigade's Rotem Battalion seem like victims – dedicated fighters being punished for staying true to halacha while defending their country. However, the story is not as simple as that. Reports indicate that the soldiers initially tried to reach the Givati Brigade's rabbi, but received no response.
They then sought guidance from rabbis from the hesder yeshivot where they had studied, who advised them not to enter the vehicle under those circumstances. Later, the brigade rabbi became involved and ruled that the mission was permissible due to its operational importance and limited duration.
Despite this ruling, the soldiers continued to refuse participation, leading to the mission being canceled and 16 soldiers being sentenced to terms in military prison – five for ten days and 11 for five days. The larger issue arising from this incident is who has the final say when the rulings of a soldier's personal rabbi conflict with those of the military rabbinate and the orders of commanders.
The answer lies with the military chain of command, including military rabbis who must balance halachic considerations with operational needs. The brigade rabbi was uniquely positioned to understand both sides of the equation, evaluating the halachic problem while also grasping the urgency and nature of the mission. Once he ruled that the mission was permissible, the matter should have ended there.
Otherwise, the army risks creating parallel chains of command: one formal chain from the chief of staff to company commanders and another informal chain from soldiers to rabbis outside the military.
While soldiers can consult their rabbis about personal matters like marriage and residence, they cannot during combat operations in Gaza. The IDF's Joint Service Order already acknowledges the right of observant soldiers to serve in gender-segregated frameworks during operational activities, with exceptions for exceptional circumstances. This places obligations on commanders as well.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
